Communication Problems

The First Morning

This original workplace story uses characters and the setting of the television series The Office (US).

Maya Patel arrives at Dunder Mifflin for her first morning of professional training. The office smells of coffee and warm paper. A printer clicks beside reception. Pam gives Maya a green visitor card and smiles. “Welcome! Please complete the access form and send it to the IT department,” she says quickly. Maya looks at the white form. There are many small boxes, and the words are new. She holds her pen above the first box. “Sorry. Can you repeat that, please?” Pam repeats the instruction, but a telephone rings at the same time. Maya hears “form” and “IT,” but not the other words.

Maya takes a breath. “Can you speak slowly, please?” Pam nods. “Yes, of course. Complete the access form. Then send it to IT.” Her voice is now calm and clear. Maya writes the date, but she cannot find her employee number. “Can you show me the number, please?” she asks. Pam points to a blue card under the keyboard. “It is here.” Maya copies 4072 into the correct box. “Thank you,” she says. The tight line between her eyes disappears. She has asked three questions, and the difficult form is beginning to make sense.

The Printer Problem

Pam sends Maya to the training room, where Jim waits beside a large printer. It hums like a tired bus. “Attach a copy of your ID, enter your surname, and click Submit,” Jim says. Then he turns to stop a tower of paper from falling. Maya understands “ID,” but the rest moves too fast. “Can you explain that, please?” Jim puts the paper down. He shows her three steps on the screen. Maya types Patel. Jim checks it and says, “Good. Now send the document to Szczepaniak in technical support.” Maya stares at the long name. “Can you spell that, please?” Jim spells it slowly, and Maya writes every letter.

Before Maya can click the blue button, the printer makes a loud beep. A red light flashes. Kevin runs in with a receipt and says, “The machine needs this!” He tries to push the receipt into the paper tray. Jim raises one eyebrow. Maya laughs, but the screen now says PAPER ERROR. She opens one door, then another. Warm air touches her hand, and a small paper wheel turns inside. “Can you help me, please?” she asks. Jim shows her a folded page behind the tray. Maya pulls it out carefully. The red light turns green, and the printer begins to sing its busy clicking song again.

A Clear Choice

The printed form slides into the tray, warm and smooth. Maya thinks the adventure is finished, but Michael calls from his office. “Please take the access form to reception, attach the receipt, call technical support, and tell them the meeting is on the twenty-third of November.” He speaks in one long burst. Kevin offers Maya his lunch receipt. Jim whispers, “That receipt is for a sandwich.” Maya could guess and make a mistake. Instead, she looks at Michael. “Can you say that again, please? Can you give me an example?” Michael pauses. He takes an empty form and demonstrates each step. Maya then repeats the instruction: “Reception, correct receipt, technical support, and November twenty-third.”

At reception, Maya gives the form to Pam and calls technical support. A voice answers, “Szczepaniak speaking.” Maya smiles at the name she can now spell. She confirms the date and asks the technician to activate her access. Soon her screen shows WELCOME, MAYA in bright blue letters. Pam places a small silver key beside the keyboard. “You managed a difficult morning,” she says. Maya shakes her head and points to the people around her. “We managed it. Thank you.” The printer clicks, the telephone rings, and Kevin quietly removes his sandwich receipt from the tray. Maya picks up the silver key and opens the training-room door for the next new employee.

Homework Review

Preparation for the Next Lesson

Choose eight useful adult-life objects from your home, workplace, bag, or study area. Include one nearby object, one distant object, similar objects, one document, and one electronic object. Write each English name and bring the objects, photographs, or list to the next lesson.